Product Description

For nearly half a century, Korg has set the standard for technical innovation, leadership, and superior sound. Korg has created entire categories of musical products, and has produced some of the top-selling synthesizers and keyboard instruments ever; the instruments favored by musicians around the globe. In 1988, Korg defined the workstation category with the revolutionary M1. Today, in 2011, Korg redefines and reimagines the music workstation, revolutionizing the capabilities of the hardware instrument and exceeding the demands of the modern player: introducing the Kronos Music Workstation.

The Game Has Been Changed

Kronos is more than a new instrument. It is a milestone in synthesis and workstation evolution; one that embodies fresh ideas and breakthrough technologies. Kronos brings together multiple sound engines working in harmony and new interactive performance features that reflect the way musicians play. Most importantly, Kronos provides a seemingly inexhaustible supply of breathtaking, spectacular sounds. Prepare to be amazed.

Nine Engines; a Universe of Sound

Kronos unites nine individual synthesis engines in a single instrument, each providing the finest sound creation techniques available. Together, they represent not only the rich legacy of Korg, but the history of the electronic keyboard industry itself. Dig into the classic sounds of timeless instruments that are still loved to this day. Enjoy unique sounds that once startled the world. Venture into new sonic territory with sounds that have become possible now.

*1 Maximum polyphony depends on the kind of synthesis engines and the number of effects being used.*2 KRONOS dynamically allocates voices to multiple synthesis engines when they are used simultaneously.*3 100 dual-stereo notes (It corresponds to 400 voices in the maximum.)

Number of Programs/Combinations/Drumkits:1,664 user memory programs (1510 or more [760 or more HD-1+750 or more EXi] come preloaded)

1,792 user memory combinations (448 or more come preloaded)

152 user memory drumkits(77 or more come preloaded)

256 GM Level2 preset programs+ 9 GM Level2 drum preset programs

Preset PCM:314 MB (ROM 1,505 multisamples, 1388 drum samples)

Build-in Expansion PCM Libraries:EXs1 - ROM Expansion

EXs2 - Concert Grand Piano

EXs3 - Brass & Woodwinds

EXs4 - Vintage Keyboards

EXs5 - ROM Expansion 2

EXs6 - SGX-1 German D Piano

EXs7 - SGX-1 Japanese C Piano

EXs8 - Rock Ambience Drums

EXs9 - Jazz Ambience Drums

Capacity of PCM RAM:Approx. 1GB*4

*4 The memory available for RAM samples will change based on the use of Expansion PCM libraries. About 273MB is available when shipped from the factory (when loading the file named "PRELOAD.KSC").

PCM Oscillator:Korg's ultra-low-aliasing technology, as introduced in the HD-1; 4 velocity zones per oscillator; Uses any mono ROM, EXs, or RAM multisamples; PCM can either be used as an excitation signal, or layered with the output of the string.

Excitation Filter:Dedicated 2-pole multimode filter for shaping the string excitation; Filter can be enabled/disabled separately for each excitation source. Low Pass, High Pass, Band Pass, and Band Reject modes

Audio Input and Feedback:Run real-time audio through the string, including feedback through effects. Modeled feedback includes modulate-able instrument-to-amp distance and orientation.

Phase and modulatable pitch per oscillator; 101 Waveshaper tables plus modulatable Drive and Offset; Use as oscillators, or as Waveshapers or Ring Modulators for other signals.

PCM Oscillator:

Korg's ultra-low-aliasing technology, as introduced in the HD-1. 4 velocity zones per oscillator; Uses any mono ROM, EXs, or RAM multisamples; PCM can be used as an FM modulator and/or layered with the VPM Oscillators. Noise generator with saturation and dedicated low pass filter.

Audio input:Run real-time audio through the VPM Oscillators and filters.

This review has been selected by our experts as particularly helpful.
"Set Lists a gigging musician's dream"

Overall:
I upgraded to the Kronos 88 from my trusty Roland RD600 with JV-1010 expansion module rig when my bandmates started complaining about the time it was taking me to change setups between songs (I'm in a "classic rock" band). This was my first experience with a keyboard workstation after years with what was basically a digital piano with a lot of extra voices, and even after several months, I'm still just getting my feet wet with what it can do.
But the single best feature, and what sold me as a regularly gigging musician, was the Set List feature. With several hours of initial setup, I've programmed all the necessary voicings (with effects and keyboard splits as needed) for each song in the band's repertoire into a master set list. Now it just takes me an hour or so prior to each gig to copy and paste each song's full setup into a separate set list for that gig. Come time to perform, I simply step through the entire set list in order using the well-lit touchscreen (no more fiddling with a flashlight on a darkened stage trying to read the setup parameters for the next song and then find all the buttons, knobs, and sliders needed to prep the rig and be ready to play.
Other things I like about the Kronos 88 include the feel of the fully hammer-weighted keys (I'd still give a slight edge to the Roland key touch, but the Kronos is definitely playable). The piano sounds are very nice and realistic, and you even have the option of emulating the difference in sound between the piano lid closed, fully open, or anywhere in between. Though I should note that I also seriously tried the Yamaha Motif-8 and actually found it's piano sounds slightly better than the Kronos - but the Kronos is still quite good and the other features like the very easy-to-use Set List made it the choice for me.
The board is nothing if not versatile, and you have an amazing degree of control over your sounds. I've not even tried the sequencer for recording or sampling my own sounds yet, but it's nice to know they're available when I'm ready to learn it.
I do have a few minor beefs. The full users manual is only available on the accompanying DVD disk (it does come with a printed "quick start" guide, which is somewhat of an inconvenience. For folks with their board set up in their studio with their laptop by their side in order to refer to the manual when needed, I guess it wouldn't be a big deal, but it would be better for me if it were all printed so I could refer to it wherever I and my board happened to be (I have printed out sections from it as I've needed them). As other reviewers have noted, you should definitely plan on spending the time viewing the intro video with your board set up as soon as you get it home. It will save you some hours of frustration.
Other minor gripes are that the joystick for modulating effects real-time is too loose and thus easily bumped out of position by your arm or sleeve when selecting buttons in the middle of a performance. I've had a few times in the middle of performing where an expected sound just wasn't there, only to find I'd inadvertently joggled the joystick. Korg would be well advised to stiffen the resistance on the joystick movement.
Another gripe is the necessity, when creating a new set list, of copying and pasting each song from one setlist to another one at a time, stopping to write the new set list each time (i.e. if you just paste it into the new list and then go back to your master list without writing the new one anew, you lose your changes). It would be so much faster if it would remember the pasted/inserted songs in the new set list for as long as I had the board turned on and just let me write the new set list once I was done with all the changes.
And like many high-tech products, I ended up paying for features I didn't want or need, such as the Karma self-generating accompianiment feature, which they tout highly and is a fun toy, but I can't see using either in performance or recording. Maybe if I'm ever trying to do a gig as a one-man band...
But those are pretty minor complaints. All in all I'm quite pleased with the playability, sounds, and above all, the convenience the Kronos 88 offers while performing.

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"Pianos alone make this product worth every penny!"

Sound:
As a pianist first and foremost, the pianos on the Kronos are nothing short of amazing! The German Grand pianos (Steinway) put my acoustic baby grand to shame. The Japanese Grand pianos (Yamaha) are also incredible. Can't wait for the forthcoming Austrian piano to be released (Bosendorfer?). Although the Kronos does everything, it was the pianos that sold me.
Ease of Use:
As a pianist... just turn it on, select your piano taste and play!
Quality:
Solid and well built. Keyboard action is fantastic!
Value:
For everything that this DAW does, its worth every penny!
The Wow Factor:
This DAW is as far above all other synthesizers/DAW's as we are above the amoeba. When Korg said this changes the game... they meant it!
Overall:
In 2000 I purchased the Korg Triton Pro/X. At the time, that was THE synthesizer/DAW for me. I kept/used it for 11 years, and would still be using it had Korg not come out with the Kronos. I foresee using the Kronos at least that long.

Style of Music: Classical but can play just about anything (except jazz)

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